The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-08-25

asserting these to be war taxes, and in
apparent forgetfulness of the fact that, so
far as relates to its money obligations,
the war is not half over, and will not be
over until we have paid prodigious
amount yet to be collected il taxes from
the people.
The tax on these tobaccos, snuffs, cigars,
cigarettes, ETC., is largely a volun-
tary tax, and if not paid on these
must be paid on the necessaries of life,
and these are not necessaries of life. This
tax should not be removed. Upon the
same day Breckenridge, of Kentucky, an
other democratic leader and representa-
tive of the democratic majority, submitted
to the house of representatives from the
committee on ways and means another
adverse report upon the resolution re-
pealing the taxes upon tobacco. The re-
port is house document No. 32lO, and con-
tains the following language:
"We are quite contented to defer action
upon the tobacco tax until the purpose for
which 1t was originally made has been
met, or until by the decrease of the pub
lie debt and by the revision of our present
unjust and unequal tariff laws, the reven
ues to meet it can be raised with less
hardship. 1t is war tax and the finan-
cial war is not yet ended, and will not be
till the last dollar of the wartdebt is paid
and the last pension is fully in,
Among the war taxes now
in force are the tax upon
tobacco, both domestic and foreign, upon
spirits and beer, both domestic and for
aic onI i,,,p tal M
these combined barely suffice to meet the
annual charge for the cost of war, which
is still upon us. For these and other rea-
sons, we believe it is expedient to main
tain taxes,both upon domestic production
and the foreign importation of tobacco
This is later record of the national
democratic party, now in power, upon a
question of a repeal of the internal rev.
enue system, but it must not be forgotten
that the democratic party, which for ten
years, save the term of the Forty-seventh
congress, controlled the house of repre-
sentatiyes, where alone any measure foI
the repeal or reduction OF
These taxes could be initiated
fixed to act on the subject, and
that it was the Forty congress
The republican says these taxes were re-
duced full fifty millions, and
the tax on tobacco was
reduced from 16 to cents; yet the leaders
and managers of the democratic party il
Virginia would delude the people into the
belief that repeal of that system may
now be accom- plished by the democratic
party. In 1884 such pretense was sue
cessfully used by several democratic can
| 1iIotac Tho yN1ao Ebo,
they ne ded the presidency to secure 6
repeal of the system, and people were
thus deluded into their support. In 1885,
the promise of this repeal was as vehe-
mently made as in 1884 by several
democratic candidates for congress, but
people could no longer be deceived
| The record of the democratic
administration and of the national
democracy against repeal OF
internal revenue system was stronger thar
any assertion of principles of this minori
ty, and the result was the defeat of such
candidates. 1t remains now to be tested
whether the same hollow pretenses can be
used in 1888 by the democratic leaders
with any more success than attended them
in 1886.
We declare to you that at the moment
the republican party lost the control OF
the government it was prepared to act
upon this subject; that Presi
dent Arthur had urged repea
Of the tobacco tax, and democratic
house with republican senate ready anG
anxious to reduce taxes, declined to pro
ceed. That the republican party is nov
practically united in favor of repeal OF
the tax on tobacco and fruit Installations
and that if restored to power it will re
move the burden which these domestic
products have so long endured. We as
sert to you that the democratic party, by
an overwhelming majority in congress, il
opposed to repeal of the interna
revenue system, rs is shown by it's RECORD
and the declaration of it's leading ant
controlling men, from President Cleveland
down.
We appeal to you, if you favor a repea
of that system, to support the republican
candidates tor the legislature, and moi
waste your VOTES on democratic candidates
whose faction, favoring repeal of those
taxes, is in hopeless minority of its OWL
national party.